I've been keeping a mental list of the brilliant money saving things I have done this past week. Reflecting on it now, it seems that they have all involved spending money, which is not a great money saving tactic.

The baby boy's first birthday is coming up. I planned to get him a little, plastic hook-up swing to hang in the back-yard. This week I successfully got one on ebay, $26. New they cost $49.95, so I've done well.

As mentioned in a previous post, February is birthday month. I was very close to making something for the birthday people, but never quite got there. Those ideas will go into the project vault for the next gifting occasion. So, one got books (my favorite gift to purchase ) from a large store that offers 35% below retail. I came in under budget. Usually I would spend the difference boosting the gift, but since I'm now in the cheapo league, I kept the difference and felt proud. I haven't told the gift recipient that I write this blog. Don't you tell either.....

The other birthday person is a tricky one, and there was no skimping there, but I managed to get just what I'd planned, and that is quite a step. I'm prone to panicking and impulse buying. Staying on budget was the goal. Well done me.

While I was shopping, I saw an Easter special, and got 20% off the price of eggs. They were lovely, different chocolates and that saving was worthwhile. I'm going to have to buy these things at some stage, no? I'd rather get something nice, in a timely fashion, than be raiding the supermarket on Easter Saturday and paying full price on the dregs. That said, it was an unplanned purchase. As was the book I bought for baby boy, and the plastic farm animal figurines. Hmmm..

Not a great week of saving, more like necessary spending. I feel like I need to be across my budget forecasting by twelve months to see the impact of my curtailed shopping. I can only believe that it's better than before, and keep up the practice.